Women’s basketball

MEN’S BASKETBALL GOES SUPERNATURAL IN WIN

Liddic is averaging 17.0 points and 13.8 rebounds over the Mules’ last eight games.

The Muhlenberg men’s basketball team’s pregame mixtape begins with the Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic,” and against Swarthmore sophomore Spencer Liddic gave an otherworldly performance.

Liddic scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting and pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds to lead the Mules to a 64-50 win. He finished one rebound shy of what would have been just the ninth 20-rebound game in Centennial Conference history.

“I’m very thrilled with the game the team had and the game I had,” said Liddic. “It was a great win for us.”

It was, indeed, because with first-place Franklin & Marshall taking on second-place Ursinus, Muhlenberg (12-8, 10-3) knew a win would either bring it back into a tie for first or give it sole possession of second. F&M held off the Bears, 70-62, meaning the Mules are back alone in second with a chance to pull even with the Diplomats on Saturday.

Senior Brian Frankoski drives to the hoop for two of his seven points.

While that showdown should be exciting, about the only drama there was in this game was when Liddic pulled down a rebound late in the game and went down to the floor with an apparent injury. He left the floor but returned shortly thereafter.

“I just rolled my ankle,” he said. “It’s a routine thing for me; I did it all the time in high school. I just needed to get some ice on it.”

In the beginning of the game Liddic helped turn the Mules from ice cold to red hot. Neither squad mustered any points in the first 2:30 before he found junior Evan Tozer for a layup and a foul. Tozer completed the three-point play, and Liddic then threw down a big dunk on the next possession to make it 5-0.

Swarthmore (5-15, 4-9) climbed back in it, tying the score at 12-all. The score was 15-apiece when the Mules took over, ending the first half on a 12-0 run dominated by Liddic and senior Obi Nwizugbo, who combined for nine of the 12 points.

A three-pointer from sophomore Justin Greenstone gave Muhlenberg its biggest lead at 46-27 with 10:36 to play. The Garnet got as close as nine late, but Greenstone helped seal the win by making a steal, racing down the floor and finding senior Ryan Foster cutting down the left side for a layup.

That assist was one of 20 for the Mules, who turned the ball over just 11 times.

“We’ve been struggling with assist-to-turnover ratio all year,” said Liddic. “As you can see, when we’re doing well with that we can win any game.”

Nwizugbo finished with 11 points and five rebounds, and Foster battled through foul trouble to add six points, nine boards and four assists.
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